SPOTLIGHT

DR. DAVID YANG Dentist, True North Dentistry

Just to start, tell us a bit about yourself. What drew you to a career in dentistry?

I have always have been fascinated with medicine. Dentistry had everything that I was looking for including the ability to work with my hands and to bring art to the craft. I have been able to create an environment where people feel truly comfortable and I can help them restore their smile and their overall health.

My wife, Dr. Felicia N. Bleecker Psy. D., and I moved to Flagsta on Feb. 14, 2005, after completing my residency at UCLA. It’s been such a pleasure to help the residents of Flagsta . To give back to our special community, each year around Thanksgiving, we start accepting submissions for our annual True North Dentistry Smile Makeover. We restore a deserving Flagsta resident’s smile completely complimentary. Over the years, we’ve helped victims of domestic abuse, valued members of law enforcement, medically compromised patients, military veterans and many others in need. We have totally changed their smiles. It’s been very rewarding!

In addition to serving the larger community, I have also shared my time with students at Northern Arizona University as a faculty member in the NAU Dental Hygiene Program for the past 15 years. Molding young minds and helping them develop professionally has been a great honor! Although I’ve recently retired, I will continue to substitute in the clinic and lecture as requested.

What are some preventative measures people can take to support their dental health?

One of the simplest things you can do is use a timer to ensure that you are brushing each quadrant of your mouth for the recommended amount of time. Personally, I use an electric toothbrush with a timer that beeps every 30 seconds so that I know when to brush the next quadrant. Your teeth will thank you if you brush them softly for the full two minutes at least twice a day.

An important thing to note is that we do not fl uoridate our water in Flagsta , but it can help fortify tooth structure against decay. If you don’t have anything against fl uoride, try adding a fl uoride rinse like ACT. If you do not want fl uoride in your body, you can use products like MI paste which can be purchased from your local dental o ce. This product restores calcium and phosphate back into your enamel, strengthening your teeth. Xylitol gum and other xylitol products are also good for your teeth as well.

True North Dentistry emphasizes its dedication to incorporating the everchanging technology available in the industry. How has this changed the way you run your practice over the years?

Technology has completely overhauled how I practice dentistry today. For example, the Solea laser is a CO2 laser that allows me to remove cavities without giving anesthetic. Yes, that means no shots, no numbness and no pain! People who fear dentistry because of needles no longer have to fear the dentist.

Cerec is a dental CAD/CAM digital system that allows us to scan and mill out crowns for you on the same day. We no longer need to take a goopy impression, make you a temporary crown and wait two weeks to get your crown back from the lab. With this technology, you walk out of my o ce with a sparkling new porcelain crown specifi cally designed for you in under two hours! This is revolutionary for patients.

CBCT (Cone Beam Computed Tomography) provides us with 3D imaging of your teeth, soft tissue, nerve and bone. Although it has many applications, I personally use it frequently to plan out my dental implant cases and implant placements.

And fi nally, 3D printers can print out scanned models, surgical guides and help us fabricate night guards quickly. We can now custom design appliances and other tools in house so that our patients can take them home for use the same day. This is critical for patients with TMJ pain, orthodonture needs and implant dentistry. This past April, you partnered with Woodlands Village Dentistry’s Dr. Elliot Martich to 3D print personal protective equipment for health care workers. Can you briefl y describe that process and the response you two received for this work?

Dr. Martich and I started out tinkering with our 3D printers to see if we could fabricate custom 3D masks to protect ourselves and our sta during the recent PPE shortages.

We started to test out multiple designs and began talking to others online who were doing something similar. Eventually, we were successful in modifying some of the designs that we had researched online. We also started to print other protective equipment like face shields and ear guards. We had o ered the masks we designed to our local COVID unit at Flagsta Medical Center and the next thing we knew, we were getting requests from Coconino County, front line workers in our community and medical professionals throughout the United States. Through our e orts, we were asked to assist FMC’s PPE Strategic Group and serve as a member of the AZ Dental Association’s COVID Task Force.

What activities do you enjoy in your spare time?

The number one thing for me is family. This is the reason why we moved to Flagsta . We wanted a safe, family-focused community with clean, beautiful skies and peaceful forests to raise our 7-year-old son, Barron. We also have a daughter with fur, Princess Poppy Primrose. In my spare time, I love to travel, dine at our amazing local restaurants, and enjoy the Flagsta arts and sporting events.